I know that different studios have different names for different steps or series of steps.
I wonder about that now because I just learned from our instructor at our independent studio that my wife and I will be doing a Fox Trot in an upcoming show this summer. We have done this for several years and it is always a great experience. This will be the first time for Fox Trot, and I am really excited about it. I know we will be doing some complicated steps, but my instructor mentioned something about avoiding International Style for fear that it would create "too many possible collisions" on the floor. I asked if he was including a feather step, and he said he may know that step by another name, but wasn't sure.
So here's my questions to the experienced instructors who post on this site. Does the feather step go by another name, and also would it be totally uncommon to have a routine that mixes some American and International style steps in it? I believe our music will be coming from "Singing in the Rain," if that dictates anything.
Thanks in advance for your thoughts.

I've never heard the feather step called anything else. American smooth steps often have different names in the different syllabuses, but international is really codified with just one syllabus. The feather step is one of the basics, so anyone who knows International will certainly know it.

I'm a bit unclear on the format. Is is a solo show? If so, it shouldn't matter what steps you do. If it's a formation routine with a bunch of couples, again, if you are all doing the same steps, collisions shouldn't be a problem if he spaces you out appropriately.

Umm, are you sure your instructor knows what International is? Not meaning any slur on your instructor, but I have heard of instructors who are under the impression that American silver is "international" and don't know that there is a whole other style.

dheun. Your instructor knows nothing about the International Style. There is only one Feather Step and to call it anything but is sacrilege.

And several variations of the concept.

Any decent American style sliver foxtrot instructor should know what a feather step is. That pretty much demonstrates no knowledge at all of International foxtrot. Perhaps that is why he wants to avoid International (not for the poor, collisions on the floor excuse). This a very basic International step. The American name for the same, is a continuity step. There are other variations of the feather step which may, or may not, have American equivalents.

Yes many of the International steps may be worked into an American foxtrot routine intended for a show (the opposite is not true). You may have problems leading these at a social dance, but there should be no problem for a show routine, or if you dance with the same partner all the time.

Names for American steps are a mess in my opinion. Different instructors sometimes refer to the same step by different names. Many of them avoid stating the name of a step (or aren't even sure of the correct name) because of the proliferation of multiple names. I would like to see American style convert the names to be the same as International wherever possible and adopt some kind of standard that everyone is forced to use.

Now let me understand this -- you want the AMERICANS to change their names --( the ones who developed Foxtrot , Jive, Rumba, Cha, mambo, Tango at Social level ) etc ?-

- I,m english as the day is long-- but I lost that arrogance (I hope )-- many yrs back !

Thanks for all of the interesting input. We have been doing continuity and continuity styling steps, and I believe my instructor has been calling the feather step a "brush step." But I am not sure. Once I get back into the studio, I will quiz him on this. To answer Ellen, there will be about six of the more advanced couples on the floor for our segment of the show, which is a ballroom dancing portion of a show that features all styles of dancing. I guess one might call it a recital for the studio, but it is a pretty big production and in an excellent theater, so it is great fun.
I think my instructor was thinking that International style calls for longer, more gliding steps, and that we may get crowded or bunched up in some fashion.
But I agree with the posters who feel that a lot of names for steps are altered or changed, depending on who is teaching it and who is passing the name on to someone else in the future.

Terrence

No arrogance intended. Since most the rest of the world uses the International names, it seems logical to use those also. The International names aren't particularly descriptive, and I could think of better names, but why be different, it only makes things more confusing. It would help the American student if he didn't have to remember several names for the same step. Even if we didn't use International names, I would be satisfied if we would decide on only ONE name per step.

Let's see, today we are doing crossover breaks, check from PP to CPP, New York, New Yorker, or step number 4 from the syllabus. Take your choice. Tomorrow we will be doing under arm turns, walk-around turns, or spot turns, not to be confused with forward spot turn, backwards spot turn, or the other spot turn.

Terence Please. Who developed the Foxtrot. Surely you must have heard of Josephine Bradly
Other than that I think SmoothGeezer is dead right in what he has written. It would help the American student if he didn't have to remember several names for the same step. Very well put.
The reason for these odd names is because the instigators don't know the correct ones.
A good start would be to use the words BPM as it should be used and that is when you read 4/4 Tempo 28 bpm it is refering to bars and not beats.
Does it matter. It does if the teacher says we will let six bars go and pick it up on the seventh. I wouldn't want to count 24 beats. Or how about if we pick it up with the music at the end of the 16th bar. Thats 64 beats to let go by..

Why do you always runoff on a tangent ?-- and please --stop trying to educate me about music-- 70 plus yrs has taught me more than you can dream about .

This is about origins-- the F/Trot was invented by an American-- harry Fox get it ? -- FOX trot-- what the english did ,as they have done with EVERY dance, was to change concepts, and in the process, names .

The american style has been in vogue as long as the " Intern. " style--- maybe not as structured -- but there none the less .

This not about which is better--- its about reality. WE the english ( other than steps ) didnt invent a damn thing !! .
The variety that the American system uses, has appropriate names for its Standards -- as do we for ours -- its NOT our right to tell anyone which is correct or otherwise, unless its about OUR standards .

And , incidentally , I,m not defending the " teacher ? " who seems to have little idea about the differences .